Expandable finger ring

ABSTRACT

A RING WHICH IS ADJUSTABLE IN SIZE TO ACCOMMODATE DIFFERENT SIZE FINGERS AND TO READILY PASS OVER THE KNUCKLES WHEN PLACED ON OR REMOVED, HAVING A TOP INNER RECESSED PORTION, SIDE PIECES SLIDABLY ENGAGING THE TOP PORTION, SPRING MEMBERS MOUNTED IN THE SIDE MEMBERS, THESE SIDE MEMBERS HINGED TO A BOTTOM MEMBER SO THAT THE SPRING MEMBERS WILL URGE THE SIDE MEMBERS INTO THE RECESSED PORTION OF THE TOP MEMBER AND THUS CONTROL THE CIRCUMFERENCE OF THE RING.

06!. 5, 1971 p, QRAF EXPANDABLE FINGER RING Original Filed Oct. 20, 1965 flak! .3 m g H mm m 6 r M M. MA 4 y M a f @a w a a 2 20 M w 0/0 m z a z United States Patent EXPANDABLE FINGER RING Paul Graf, 1167 Gallaway St., Pacific Palisades, Calif. 90272 Continuation of application Ser. No. 498,534, Oct. 20,

1965. This application July 25, 1969, Ser. No. 847,896

" Int. Cl. A44c 9/02 US. Cl. 6315.65 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A ring which is adjustable in size to accommodate different size fingers and to readily pass over the knuckles when placed on or removed, having a top inner recessed portion, side pieces slidably engaging the top portion, spring members mounted in the side members, these side members hinged to a bottom member so that the spring members will urge the side members into the recessed portion of the top member and thus control the circumference of the ring.

This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 498,534, filed Oct. 20, 1965, now abandoned.

It is an object of this invention to provide a ring which is adjustable in size to accommodate varying finger sizes.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a ring which will stay in place during use.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a ring which will completely encircle the finger Without any gap between parts thereof.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide such a ring wherein no projection or sharp members contact the finger.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a ringwherein the ring is urged to its smallest size when in place on the finger.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a ring that will be substantially circular in appearance at any expanded position.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of the ring embodying the invention in the contracted position.

FIG. 2 is a cutaway side view of the ring taken through lines 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a partial side elevation taken along lines 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a side elevation similar to FIG. 3 showing the ring in its expanded configuration.

FIG. 5 is a partial view showing the base and side portion disassembled.

Referring now to FIG. 1, the ring has a hinged base section 10, expandable side members 12, which slidably engage the top portion 16.

FIG. 4 shows a cutaway side elevation of the ring in its expanded position wherein the curved base portion is pivotally hinged by hinge pins 14 to the side portions 12. Springs 18 urge the curved side portions to a closed position and the side portions upward into the cavity 24 of the top piece 16 leaving open area 25, as shown in FIG. 3. Tension is applied to the springs 18 by the outward pivotal movement of the side members 12. The springs are held in place by a holding means 22. As the side members 12 are urged outwardly from the cavity portion 24 of the top member 16 they are restrained in the cavity by stop members 28.

The side members comprise a wide ring portion and a narrower portion 32 which slides up into the top piece 16. At the end of the narrow portion 3 2 of side piece 12 is a stop member 26 which engages the stop member 28 of the top ring portion and thus prevents the complete removal of the top portion 16 of the ring when the ring base and side members are expanded downwardly and outwardly.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described herein, the invention is not to be construed as limited to the specific details disclosed herein, except as included in the following claims.

I claim:

1. An expandable finger ring comprising:

a solid lower curved base section;

solid unitary curved side sections;

a substantially rigid curved top ring setting section having a generally curved elongated passageway adjacent the lower circumference thereof, said passageway having downwardly and outwardly facing open ends, the upper end portions of said side sections extending slidably into said passageway through said open ends and being retained therein;

means for vertically and horizontally expanding said ring while maintaining a continuously uniform width of said ring throughout said base and side sections, said expanding means comprising means for hingedly connecting said side sections at their lower ends to the opposite extremities of said base section, spring means reaching between said base section and said side sections urging the upper ends of said side sections to swing inwardly towards each other, said upper end portions of said side sections being sufficiently smaller than said open ends and said passageway so as to be loosely tiltable therein, and cooperating means on said side sections and at said open ends to limit sliding movement of said upper end portions in said passageway and to cam said side sections inwardly of said passageway under the influence of said spring means.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said cooperating means prevent the meeting of said upper end portions within said passageway, thereby maintaining an open area at the center of said passageway.

33. The combination of claim 2 wherein said spring comprises leaf springs seated in grooves in the inner faces of said side members.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 448,617 3/1891 Hudson 636 842,625 1/ 1907 Castiglioni 636 1,079,489 11/1913 Higham 63l5.45 1,296,435 3/1919 Schmidt. 2,961,855 11/1960 Newman. 2,971,354 2/1961 Beizer.

725,3 22 4/ 1903 Davis 639 1,971,094 8/1934 Boots 639 X 2,120,348 6/1938 Bezault 639 FOREIGN PATENTS 940,506 5/ 1948 France 639 590,817 1/1960 Canada.

435,226 2/1912 France.

188,872 9/1907 Germany 6315.7

18,619 6/1905 Great Britain 6315.65

240,023 3/ 1946 Switzerland 6315.5

F. BARRY SHAY, Primary Examiner 

